Visiting the doctor for guidance regarding a chronic condition or an annual checkup is a foundational component of good health. However, the global coronavirus pandemic has made a simple trip to a medical office seem more hazardous. Fortunately, adults across America have the option to still get the medical attention they need without having to take any of the risks that may result from leaving their homes, thanks to telehealth.
In just a few weeks life has changed for many people due to efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The constant updates, warnings and changes to routines is more than enough to cause anyone to feel anxious.
Anxiety can be even more likely among people over age 60 and among those who have chronic conditions that put them at high risk for developing severe and dangerous complications as a result of COVID-19.
If you are sick with COVID-19 or suspect you may be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, you should take steps to take care of yourself AND help prevent the virus from spreading to people in your home and community.
As you tune in to the latest updates on COVID-19, you’ll learn that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has encouraged that we practice social distancing. It is one of several recommendations to help slow the spread of the outbreak. But what exactly is social distancing and why is it important for seniors?
When you’re stuck indoors, it’s tempting to sink into the couch and never get up. If you’re in the habit of going to the gym, walking at the mall or taking a water aerobics class, you’ll need to find a new routine and a new way to get that exercise during this period of sheltering-in-place.
“Being proactive” is the best way to approach any challenge in life. With the COVID-19 pandemic, proactive steps will save lives. Since doctors don’t yet have a cure, proactive preventive steps are the best available strategy.
This blog was published on December 12, 2015 and updated on January 15, 2020.
Boredom can feel mind-numbing, making each moment more intolerable than the last. As it turns out, it can also prove fatal. In one study, researchers followed more than 7,500 British civil servants who ranged in age from 35 to 55. People who said they were very bored at work were 250 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than their peers.
This month, everyone’s abuzz with talk of Thanksgiving meals. As you page through mouthwatering recipes and delectable desserts, don’t forget about the senior in your life. Taste buds change as a person ages, and health conditions such as dementia and gum disease can make it difficult for seniors to eat many holiday favorites.
For most people, the flu is a temporary annoyance that plunges their house into disarray and loses them a week of work. But for some — especially seniors and those with weak immune systems — the flu can be lethal. Ninety percent of flu-related deaths and up to 70 percent of flu hospitalizations occur in seniors. In the 2016-2017 flu season, more than 12,000 seniors died. The great tragedy here is that the flu is almost completely preventable. Here’s how you can keep your senior loved one healthy this flu season.
